Poland takes steps to limit its dependence on natural gas from Russia but misses out on shale gas

A worker at the gas pipeline in Hermanowice Gas Distribution and Measurement Station in south-east Poland; the gas is being pumped to Ukraine via Poland (photo: dpa)

As a historical legacy, Poland and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe are heavily dependent on natural gas supplied by the Russian energy monopoly Gazprom. This reliance on a single supplier carries a geopolitical risk and, indeed, the region has experienced politically motivated gas supply disruptions in recent years. The spectre of energy insecurity has risen in the area. The protracted conflict in Ukraine has further increased the plausibility of gas supply interruptions, writes GIS guest expert Dr Lucja Cannon.

Faced with this reality, Poland is pursuing a policy of decreasing its energy dependence from Russia through various means. A related problem for the Poles is Gazpro...

Not a subscriber yet?

Subscribe now and get the latest in-depth geopolitical analysis and forecasts
from GIS’s unrivaled cadre of experts.